told this strange story prevailed on him to return, at last,
to his waggon and horses; he did so with manifest
reluctance. To his indescribable relief, his infernal
companion hail vanished in the person of the Ventriloquist,
and Jolt still believes in the supernatural visitation!

~9~~ Amongst the literary and scientific institutions of the Metropolis,
the British Museum, situated in Great Russel Street, Bloomsbury, stands
pre-eminent.

Entering the spacious court, our two friends found a party in waiting
for the Conductor. Of the individuals composing this party, the
reconnoitering eye of Dashall observed a trio, from whence he
anticipated considerable amusement. It was a family triumvirate, formed
of an old Bachelor, whose cent per cent ideas predominated over every
other, wheresoever situated or howsoever employed; his maiden Sister,
prim, starch and antiquated; and their hopeful Nephew, a
complete coxcomb, that is, in full possession of the requisite
concomitants--ignorance and impudence, and arrayed in the first style of
the most exquisite dandyism. This delectable triumviri had emerged from
their chaotic recess in Bearbinder-lane; the Exquisite, to exhibit his
sweet person along with the other curiosities of the Museum; his maiden
Aunt, to see, as she expressed it, the "_He-gipsyian munhuments,
kivered with kerry-glee-fix_;" and her Brother, to ascertain whether,
independent of outlandish baubles, gimcracks and gewgaws, there was any
thing of substantiality with which to enhance the per contra side in the
Account Current between the British Museum and the Public!

Attaching themselves to this respectable trio, Dashall and Tallyho
followed, with the other visitants, the Guide, whose duty it that
day was to point out the various curiosities of this great national
institution.

The British Museum was established by act of parliament, in 1753, in
pursuance of the will of Sir Hans Sloane, who left his museum to
the nation, on condition that Parliament should pay 20,000L. to his
Executors, and purchase a house sufficiently commodious for it. The
parliament acted with great liberality on the occasion; several other
valuable collections were united to that of Sir Hans Sloane, and the
whole establishment was completed for the sum of 85,000L. raised by
lottery. At the institution of this grand treasury of learning, it
was proposed that a competent part of 1800L. the annual sum granted by
parliamen